Here are six things to know this week if you live in or around Northwest Austin.
1. 85th Texas Legislature
State lawmakers meet for 140 days during every odd-numbered year, and on Tuesday they assemble at the state Capitol in Austin for the start of a new session. Texas State Comptroller of Public Accounts Glenn Hegar begins the week Monday with a biannual state budget presentation.
Here is an explainer on how the Texas budget works.
Once lawmakers convene, readers can find regular updates on communityimpact.com and follow the day-to-day action on Twitter by using the hashtag #CITXLege.
2. Cheaper MetroRapid fares
Capital Metro
reduces the cost of its MetroRapid bus fare starting Sunday. The change is an effort to make transfers easier between the different types of bus service Capital Metro offers.
The fare for MetroRapid and Flyer bus routes will now be $1.25, the same price charged for a single ride on a local bus route. Previously passengers had to pay $1.75 per trip.
Terri Romere[/caption]
3. Round Rock ISD trustee resigns
Terri Romere, who holds Place 4 on the RRISD board, is vacating her position, according to an announcement from the district last week. Romere
cited family and work obligations as reasons for the decision.
RRISD trustees will have to decide what to do moving forward during their next regular meeting on Jan. 19. According to the district, trustees can either select a replacement to carry out the rest of Romere’s term or call for a special election. Romere's term expires in 2018.
4. Schools get new state ratings
Texas school districts got their first look at how the Texas Education Agency's new A-F rating system will work after preliminary district and campus grades were released last week. The scores were a mixed bag for Central Texas districts, as some schools that had received positive ratings under earlier accountability systems were given D and F letter grades in certain categories. TEA said its preliminary ratings are a “work in progress” and likely to change before they officially take effect during the 2017-18 school year.
View a roundup of results from Central Texas school districts here, as well as more detailed results for the three districts that fall within Northwest Austin:
Round Rock ISD,
Austin ISD and
Pflugerville ISD.
5. Get updates on Central Health's Brackenridge plan
Central Health, Travis County's public health district, hosts a community meeting Thursday to provide information about the future of University Medical Center Brackenridge in downtown Austin. The event is scheduled from 5:30-7 p.m. at Central Health's offices at 1111 E. Cesar Chavez St., Austin.
Register for free here.
UMCB will close after the new Dell Seton Medical Center at The University of Texas opens in May.
Central Health wants to partner with a developer to remake the hospital's 14.3-acre campus into a mixed-use district with a focus on health care services and research.
6. A new-look Austin City Council
New council members Jimmy Flannigan, of District 6, and Alison Alter, of District 10, were sworn into office last week. Both newcomers represent districts that contain portions of Northwest Austin. The council is scheduled to meet Wednesday for a special-called meeting to discuss city governance policy and goals.
An agenda is available here.
District 7 Council Member Leslie Pool, who also represents residents in portions of Northwest Austin,
has introduced sweeping changes to the council’s existing committee structure that recommends some committees be eliminated, others combined and to have more involvement from the mayor in the committee process.
Terri Romere[/caption]
3. Round Rock ISD trustee resigns
Terri Romere, who holds Place 4 on the RRISD board, is vacating her position, according to an announcement from the district last week. Romere cited family and work obligations as reasons for the decision.
RRISD trustees will have to decide what to do moving forward during their next regular meeting on Jan. 19. According to the district, trustees can either select a replacement to carry out the rest of Romere’s term or call for a special election. Romere's term expires in 2018.
4. Schools get new state ratings
Texas school districts got their first look at how the Texas Education Agency's new A-F rating system will work after preliminary district and campus grades were released last week. The scores were a mixed bag for Central Texas districts, as some schools that had received positive ratings under earlier accountability systems were given D and F letter grades in certain categories. TEA said its preliminary ratings are a “work in progress” and likely to change before they officially take effect during the 2017-18 school year.
View a roundup of results from Central Texas school districts here, as well as more detailed results for the three districts that fall within Northwest Austin: Round Rock ISD, Austin ISD and Pflugerville ISD.
5. Get updates on Central Health's Brackenridge plan
Central Health, Travis County's public health district, hosts a community meeting Thursday to provide information about the future of University Medical Center Brackenridge in downtown Austin. The event is scheduled from 5:30-7 p.m. at Central Health's offices at 1111 E. Cesar Chavez St., Austin. Register for free here.
UMCB will close after the new Dell Seton Medical Center at The University of Texas opens in May. Central Health wants to partner with a developer to remake the hospital's 14.3-acre campus into a mixed-use district with a focus on health care services and research.
6. A new-look Austin City Council
New council members Jimmy Flannigan, of District 6, and Alison Alter, of District 10, were sworn into office last week. Both newcomers represent districts that contain portions of Northwest Austin. The council is scheduled to meet Wednesday for a special-called meeting to discuss city governance policy and goals. An agenda is available here.
District 7 Council Member Leslie Pool, who also represents residents in portions of Northwest Austin, has introduced sweeping changes to the council’s existing committee structure that recommends some committees be eliminated, others combined and to have more involvement from the mayor in the committee process.
